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Traffic resumes on damaged highways

The government has said that Araniko Highway that had been obstructed following the earthquake has come into operation.

The obstruction to the vital road that passes through a large section of the quake-ravaged Sindhupalchok district had created difficulties in ferrying the injured to hospitals and in relief distribution.

Other highways obstructed in the disaster are also in operation, said the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. Secretary Tulasi Prasad Sitaula said vehicles started plying the roads on Monday evening.

“Although major roadblocks have been cleared, only one-way movement is possible in many of the locations due to the damage to the road surface,” said Sitaula. “Given the rocky terrain along the badly damaged Dolalghat-Barhabise-Kodari stretch, speedy maintenance is a challenge.”

Intensive repair on the damaged segments is necessary to facilitate smooth movement of cargo vehicles. Sitaula said China has agreed to reconstruct the Jure-Tatopani segment which was destroyed first by the flood and landslide of August last year.

In the last couple of days, the government has used small trucks to transport aid to the earthquake victims in the district. Speedy repair of the infrastructure is a must in view of the upcoming rainy season.

Partial movement of vehicles has begun also on Pasang Lhamu Highway. The road up to Dhunche, Rasuwa, has been cleared while the Dhunche-Syaphrubesi section would reopen by Thursday. “The Chinese side is expected to clear the landslide-blocked road in Rasuwagadhi.”

Trishuli-Dhunche segment that connects the Rasuwa district headquarters is one of the worst hit. A large number of landslips have hampered rescue and rehabilitation efforts of earthquake victims. East-West Highway and Prithvi Highway are said to be back to normal too.

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